Brake retardation controller



BRAKE RETARDAT ION CONTROLLER Original Filed Oct. 24, 1935 Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNiTED STATES PATENT QFFICE BRAKE RETARDATION CONTROLLER Application October 24, 1935, Serial No. 46,462 Renewed July 1, 1936 i8 Claims.

This invention relates to brake retardation controllers, and more particularly to retardation controllers for braking equipments intended for high speed trains and vehicles.

In the type of fluid pressure brake equipments more recently designed for high speed trains and vehicles, when an application of the brakes is effected the brake cylinder pressure will build. up at an extremely fast rate. In practically all of these brake equipments a retardation controller device, or similar means, is provided to control the brake cylinder pressure so as to prevent the rate of retardation due to braking from exceeding some predetermined or chosen value.

Because the brake cylinder pressure may build up at an extremely fast rate, the pressure in the brake cylinder usually attains a value much higher than is required to produce the rate of retardation corresponding to the setting of the 20 retardation controller device. This is due to the fact that the pressure developed in the brake cylinder is not immediately effective in producing retardation of the vehicle body, because there is always some slack and friction in the brake rigging, as well as differential motion between the vehicle truck and body. The retardation controller device therefore does not begin to function until the brake cylinder pressure has reached excessive values.

When the retardation controller device begins to function the brake cylinder pressure must then be initially reduced from an excessive value to the value which will just maintain the rate of retardation corresponding to the retardation controller setting. This not only results in an undue loss of fluid under pressure but the rapid initial reduction in brake cylinder pressure caused when the retardation controller device initially functions contributes toward producing an irregular and nonuniform stop. In addition, the rapid rise of brake cylinder pressure with the consequent high rate of retardation produced on the vehicle truck, followed by a rapid reduction rising beyond the value necessary to produce the chosen or selected rate of retardation.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide means for so controlling the brake cylinder pressure as to substantially prevent it 5 from rising above a value which will just produce the rate of retardation determined by the adjustment of the retardation controller device effected at the time the brake application is made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brake system having a retardation controller device in which the retardation controller device is adjusted according to straight air pipe pressure,and in which the adjustment is delayed when an application is effected so that the retardation controller device may initially control brake cylinder pressure at a lower setting than that determined by the straight air pipe pressure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a braking system in which the brakes may 20 be applied by automatic operation or by straight air operation, both of which are under the control of a retardation controller device, which device during either mode of operation is adjusted during a delayed interval of time according to straight air pipe pressure, but which in automatic operation is adjusted to permit a higher rate of retardation than in straight air operation.

Still further objects of the invention dealing with specific constructions and arrangements of parts will be more fully understood from the following description, which is taken in connection with the single figure of the attached drawing, wherein I have shown an embodiment of my invention in the form of a combined straight air and automatic braking equipment for a single vehicle.

Referring now to this drawing, I have shown a simple form of braking equipment comprising a brake cylinder Ill to which fluid under pressure may be supplied through a straight air pipe Il, either by manual manipulation of a brake valve device I2, during straight air operation, or by operation of an emergency valve device I3, during automatic operation, in response to reduc tions of pressure in a normally charged safety control pipe I4,'which reductions may be accomplished through operation of a vent valve device I5.

For controlling the pressure of fluid supplied to the brake cylinder l0 according to the rate of retardation of the vehicle, there are provided a retardation controller device I6, which is adjusted according to the pressure of fluid supplied to the straight air pipe III, and a magnet valve device l1. For delaying the adjustment of the retardation controller device, there are provided a volume reservoir i8 and a restriction in the form of a choke l in the portion of the straight air pipe i l connecting with the retardation controller device.

Considering now more in detail the devices above referred to, the brake valve device l2 may in the embodiment illustrated be one of the usual rotary valve types which controls the supply of fluid under pressure from a main reservoir 3D to the straight air pipe l l. rThe brake valve device is provided with a handle 2l, which when in release position effects communication between the straight air pipe li and the atmosphere, but which when turned to a service position closes the communication to the atmosphere and connects the straight air pipe i! to the main reser- Voir 25 by way of pipe 22.

The emergency valve device IS is embodied in a casing having a piston chamber 24 and a slide valve chamber 25. Disposed in the slide valve chamber 25 is a slide valve 25, and disposed in the piston chamber 2d is a piston 2l having a stem 25 recessed to receive the slide valve 25, so as to move the slide valve coextensive with the movement of the piston.

A spring 2S urges the piston 21 toward a release position, in which position a cavity 30 in the slide valve 2&5 establishes communication between the two portions of the straight air pipe H connected to the emergency valve device.

The piston chamber 25 is connected to the safety control pipe le, while the slide valve chamber 25 is connected to the main reservoir 20 by way of pipe 3 l. It is to be here understood that while the pipe i5. is referred to as a safety control pipe, it may be one of the other normally -charged pipes commonly employed in automatic brake systems, such for example as the brake pipe, emergency pipe, or similar pipe.

When the pressure in piston chamber 24 and safety control pipe ifi is reduced, the overbalancing pressure in slide valve chamber 25 will Shift the piston 2 and slide valve 26 to the left to application position, in which position the slide valve 26 blanks the left hand portion of the straight air pipe ii, and opens the right hand portion of the safety control pipe to the slide valve chamber If the pressure in piston chamber 24 is reduced substantially to Zero the piston and slide valve will remain in application position. When the pressure in piston chamber 24 is restored to normal, piston 2l and slide valve 25 will return to release position, where a feed groove 32 affords communication between the piston chamber and slide valve chamber.

The vent valve device l is embodied in a casing provided with a supply valve 33 which is urged toward a seated position by a spring 34, and also with a diaphragm valve 35 which is adapted to coact with a seat rib 36. The valve device is also provided with a hand or foot operated element 3i, which is pivotally mounted to the casing of the valve device at 38 and which is adapted to have a limited up and down movement due to a pin S9 projecting into an aperture in the element. A spring i' urges the element 3l toward an upper position. v

When the element 3l is urged downwardly it engages a stem li to seatV the diaphragm 35 on seat rib 35 and to unseat supply valve 33. When the diaphragm 35 is thus seated a communication between the safety control pipe I4 and the atmosphere by way of exhaust port B2 is cut off,

while unseating of supply valve 33 connects the safety control pipe to the pipe 3l leading to the main reservoir 2Q. When the element 3l is permitted to be actuated by spring di? to its upper position, valve 33 will be closed by spring 34, to close communication between the safety control pipe and the main reservoir 25, while diaphragm 35 will be actuated away from seat rib 35, and the communication between the safety control pipe and the atmosphere thus established.

The retardation controller device I5 is embodied in a casing having a pendulum iii pivotally mounted at i5 and normally biased against a stop dii. The pendulum carries a contact 4'! which is insulated therefrom by insulation @8, and which is adapted to sequentially engage stationary contacts 49 and 563.

The retardation controller device l5 is positioned on the vehicle so that when the vehicle is deeelerating the pendulum is urged toward the left. Movement of the pendulum to the left is opposed by a spring pressed plunger 5i which is urged into contact with the pendulum by a spring 52. The spring 52 opposes movement of the pendulum to the left until contact il has engaged contact ri, and thereafter a flange 53 on the plunger 5l engages a washer 54 so that a spring 55 will also oppose movement of the pendulum as the contact #il moves toward engagement with the contact 59.

The tension on the spring 52 may be adjusted or varied by variable forces applied to a movable abutment 513 bearing upon the spring. The spring 55, however, is invariable, so that regardless of the variable tension on spring 52, after the flange 53 has engaged the washer 54 a substantially constant increment of force only will be required to move the pendulum far enough to the left to cause contact dl to engage contact 55. Thus it will be apparent that although variable rates of retardation may be required to cause contact Ill to engage Contact e9 a substantially constant increment only of retardation will be required to move the pendulum further to cause contact lil' to engage contact 55.

For varying the tension on the spring 52 there is provided a mechanism comprising a lever 58 pivotally mounted at 59 and having integral with the other end a spring cup Sii in which is disposed one end of a spring El. The other end of the spring El bears upon a piston 52 disposed in a chamber 53, which is connected to the safety control pipe iii.

rIhe spring 'cup 50 is in abutting engagement with a second piston B62- disposed in a piston chamber S5, which chamber is connected to the straight air pipe li. If the safety control pipe l is maintained charged to normal pressure value the pressure in the piston chamber 53 will be a maximum and piston 52 will be positioned as shown in the drawing. Thus if now uid under pressure is supplied to a given degree to the chamber 65 from the straight air pipe il, piston 54 will be actuated inwardly to compress spring 6l and thus increase the tension on adiusting spring 52 accordingly. But if the safety control pipe pressure is reduced while the parts are in the position as shown in the drawing, the tension on spring 5I will be decreased so that if fluid under pressure is supp-lied to the chamber 65 to the same degree as before there `will be produced a greater tension on the adjusting spring 52.

The magnet valve device l1 is embodied in a casing provided with a cut-ofi valve '56 and a release valve 61. A spring B8 urges the cutfoff valve 66 toward unseated position, while a cut-off electromagnet (not shown) in the upper part of the ll lill Ulli' lllllll il @nl il l actuate the valve toward seated position.

Similarly, a spring 69 urges the Vrelease valve fil toward seated position, while a release eleotromagnet (not shown) in the upper part of the casing functions when energized to actuate the valve toward unseated position. When the release valve 6l is seated and the cut-ofi valve G6 unseated, communication is established between the straight air pipe lland a brake cylinder pipe 10 leading to the brake cyl-f inder lil'. When the cut-off valve 66 is seated and the release valve 'Sl is unseated, communication between these two pipes is cut oir and pipe lil is connected to the atmosphere by wayof exhaust port ll.

The operation of this embodiment of my invention is as follows: Vihen the vehicle is running the handle 2l of the brake valve device l2 will be maintained in release position, while the operator maintains the element 3l' of the vent valve device i5 depressedl The parts of the various devices will therefore be in the positions as shown in the drawing. I

service or Straight air application When it is desired to effect a service applica-- tion of the brakes, as for example a full service application, the brake valve handle 2i is turned to service position where it may be left. Fluid under pressure will then flow from the inain reservoir 2S to the brake cylinder lll, by Way of pipe 22, brake valve device l2, the first portion 'of the straight air pipe li, cavity 3S inslide valve 25 of the emergency valve device E3, the seeond portion oi' the straight air pipe il, past the 40 cut-oi valve 6% in the magnet valve device il, and through pipe le. This iow takes place at a rapid rate so that pressure in the brake cylinder builds up extremely fast.

Fluid supplied to the straight air pipe li also ovvs through the choke i9 to the volume reservoir i8 and to the piston chamber 65 in the retardation controller device.

Now letI it be assumed that it is desired to retard the vehicle at a rate of retardation of four miles per hour per second, and, that the ultimate pressure of fluid supplied to the straight air pipe li in a full service application will adjust the retardation controller ydevice l for this rate. Let it be further assumed that an initial 5 brake cylinder pressure of seventy-ve pounds will produce the desired rate of retardation of tour miles per hour per second. The main res-A ervoir 2Q will, however, be assumedto be capable of producing an ultimate pressure of onenundred pounds in the brake cylinder. y Therefore, with the brake valve handle lett in service posi,- non the mane wunder pressure may ultimately rise, to one limited tutti, lliltitilt ltltilll five pounds only sired retardation.

Now the choke l@ and volume reservoir le are controller device is increasing slowly. The rapidly increasing brake cylinder pressure will cause the vehicle to decelerate at an increasing rate, so that a. lower rate of retardation than four miles per hour per second will actuate the penduis required to produce the de-v lum 44 to` the leftfar enough for contact 4l to engage contact 49.

The parts are preferably adjusted so that at 0r tbOllt the time the brake cylinder pressure reaches seventy-five pounds the pendulum 5 will have swung far enough to the left for contact tl to engage contact E9. When this takes place the cut-off electromagnet in themagnet valve device I7 will beenergized through a circuit, which beginning'at battery 'l2 includes, conductor lil, contactszlll and 49, conductor lli, the cut-off electromagnet, and ground connection l5. The energization of the cut-off electromagnet will eiect seating of the cut-off valve 6E, and thus prevent further supply of uid under pressure to the brake cylinder l0.

This will, however, not affect the supply to the piston chamber E5, which will continue until the retardation controller device has been adjusted for the desired setting of four miles per hour-per second. By the time this setting will have been accomplished, the seventy-five pounds pressure in the brake cylinder will be producing the desired rateofretardation, so that the pendulum M will be maintained in the position where contacts il and 49 remain in engagement. Thus the brake cylinder pressure is prevented from rising beyond the value necessary to pro duo@ the desired retardation.

When the brakes are initially applied the brake shoes are cold and the coeicient of friction between the shoes and Wheels is relatively high. As the brake shoes heat up the coefficient of friction will tend to diminish, so that the brak ing effect and hence the retardation will tend to diminish somewhat. If additional pressure in the brake cylinder is required to maintain the desired rate of retardation, the movement of pendulum lill to the right due to the diminishing retardation will disengage contact il from contact i9 and thus effect unseating of the cutorf valve 66, to increase thebrake cylinder pressure.

On the other hand, if as the vehicle slows down the coeiiicient of friction between the shoes and wheels should increase so that pendulum @lll moves further to the left, to the point where contact il engages contact 5t, the release electromagnet in the magnet valve device Il' will be energized through a circuit which includes, beginning at battery 12, conductor 13, contacts fil and 5B, conductor 76,' the release electroinagnet, and ground connection l5. Release valve 6l will thus be unseated to release uid under Ypressure from the brake cylinder lll to the atmosphere and thus diminish the degree of braking.

A little thought will show that the retardation controller device I8 vwill thus function to reg-1 ulate the brake cylinder pressure so as to maintain a rate of retardation of substantially iour miles per hour per second.

.To release the brakes following a straight air application the traire valve handle ll is turned www@ iltllll, Whltllllilll ille straight air pipe l l is disconnected from the main reservoir 6r 2i! and connected to the atmosphere. o"

Emergency or automatic application When it is' desired to effect an emergency or automatic application, pressure manually applied 70 to the'element 3l of the vent valve device V5 is released, so that spring 40 actuates the element upwardly, thus effecting seating of the su i 1 valve 33 and unseating of the diaphr pp y 35. The safety control pipe i i; a'gm Valve s hus vented tn 'm ject to the pressure of fluid supplied to a second chamber for controlling movement of said first abutment.

16. In a retardation controller device, in combination, a body movable in response to a force of inertia, spring means for opposing movement of said body, means operated upon an increase in pressure for varying the tension on said spring means, and means operated upon a decrease in pressure for controlling the degree of variation of tension on said spring means due to operation or" said last means.

17. The method of controlling vehicle brake applications, which comprises, eiecting an application of the brakes to a potentially high degree, lapping the application at a relatively low rate of retardation of the vehicle and before the degree of application has reached the said high degree, holding the application lapped for an interval of time suiicient for the body and truck of the vehicle to assume relatively to each other Xed positions, and thereafter controlling the degree of application so as to maintain a substantially constant rate of retardation of the vehicle higher than said relatively low rate.

18. The method of controlling brake cylinder pressure in a iiuid pressure brake system for vehicles, which comprises, eecting a supply of icluid under pressure to the brake cylinder with sufficient supply capacity to attain a chosen brake cylinder pressure, lapping the supply to the brake cylinder at a pressure lower than said chosen pressure when the rate of retardation of the vehicle approaches a relatively low value, holding brake cylinder pressure lapped until the body and Vehicle truck assume relatively iiXed positions, and thereafter regulating brake cylinder pressure in a manner to produce a relatively high constant rate of retardation of the vehicle.

ELLIS E. HEWITT.

April 12, 1938.` E. c. sAlN-.JACQUES 2,1l3y619 FURNIACE FOR THE AGGLOMERATION OF PULVERULENT MATERIAL@ Filed Margh 4, 1936 LOMJWM 

